By Rachel Chiang | Reporter
As an on-campus student who tested positive for COVID-19, San Diego freshman Ciara Woodahl said her time in Baylor’s quarantine apartments was filled with fresh linens, snack bags and spotty Wi-Fi.
Following the new guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Baylor requires students to isolate for five days and to wear a mask for another five days when returning to public areas. With Baylor using COVID-19 PCR tests, students who test positive usually receive word from BearAid within 12 hours after receiving lab results to isolate at home or a local apartment offered by Baylor.
“I got my positive result Monday at midnight,” Woodahl said. “They didn’t reach out until 6 p.m. Tuesday. I didn’t go to class because I got a positive result, so I kind of just stayed in my dorm until they reached out to me at 6 o’clock and said, ‘You have an hour to get out of the dorm, and we’ll transport you to the apartment you’re staying at.’ They had a service pick me up from South Russell, and they drove me to the apartments.”
The service took Huntsville, Ala., senior Sydney Howard, who also tested positive for COVID-19, to the 11th Street Flats for isolation. Regardless of which location students are sent to, each student rooms with up to three other isolating students. However, they are given individual bedrooms and bathrooms while sharing a kitchen and living room.
“When you first get there, they have a blanket, sheets and all that stuff laid on the bed for you and this bag of snacks,” Howard said.
Along with the snacks, students who have meal plans have until 6 p.m. each day to order food to be delivered by Baylor, and they are given the daily chef’s special for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Those without meal plans or who prefer alternative options can order food or groceries to be delivered instead.
With new attendance policies for the spring semester, students are encouraged to contact their professors to join a Zoom meeting during class or watch lectures posted online.
“The Wi-Fi didn’t work at all,” Woodahl said. “That was probably the worst part of quarantine for sure. It would take like a solid five minutes to load a browser.”
Howard also said that the Wi-Fi was a huge struggle when trying to do work and that it was a downside to her isolation. However, despite the internet issues, Howard said the transportation was well organized and the apartment was quite nice. She also said she enjoyed the meals and snacks Baylor provided and really appreciated the BearAid assistant who reached out and helped get her through the entire process.
